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cortsundoku's review against another edition
Tried desperately to get through it. Just a little too boring for me sadly.
whiitewalker's review
4.0
When you're constantly treated as a pariah and labeled bad, you might begin living up to that expectation.
Muak muak muak a este libro y a todo. Me encanta el folklore y me encantaría saber más del coreano y esto ha sido sencillamente una delicia de leer. Si que me ha parecido que el ritmo ha ido bien hasta poco después de la mitad del libro y luego ha tomado un ritmo raruno pero es que lo he disfrutado y sufrido de tal forma que se lo perdono.
hanee's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
eleanorryd's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
When this came out, I fell for the hype and bought the book. There were so many people in so many corners of the internet all saying that this was so so good and oh wow they enjoyed it so much. I finally got around to reading it and now I'm really wondering if all of those people were paid to say those things? It wasn't downright offensive but that is pretty much the nicest thing I can say.
dpearson5257's review against another edition
I do not think this is a bad story, I just think I am not invested truly in what is being told. And I’ve found for me personally I do struggle connecting with Asian folklore, maybe there’s a lack of understanding or description or history given but I always have this issue. All I know about this story is there a girl who eats men and a boy, an angry mom and a bead. Nothing else has truly penetrated my brain and life is too short to read stories that are not keeping you engaged.
I’m sure someone else will loooove this story but it’s not for me.
I’m sure someone else will loooove this story but it’s not for me.
rachelcdm's review
3.0
This book is a really mixed bag.
There’s so much to love; cool mythology, interesting damaged characters, modern setting, romance, magic, family drama.
But the pacing and writing... is uneven. Some of the writing is absolutely brilliant - evocative even. But some of it is straight up purple prose. And it’s the same with the pacing.
And some of the plot twists are... well, not all that twisty.
But I burned through this book in two days which brings me to my next point.
If you love Kdramas (which I do) there is a very high chance you will like this. And I’m not saying that just because the setting is in Seoul. I’m saying it because the formula/structure is very similar to a lot of the dramas I’ve seen. Side characters suddenly turn out to be family relatives, the main couple are separated halfway through just as they’ve come to terms with their feelings due to secret being revealed/noble idiocy/misunderstanding. And finally the theme of forgiveness toward family members who ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DESERVE IT.
Gah.
But everything about this book lends itself so neatly to a Kdrama that if it were to be put on Netflix tomorrow I would 100% have binged it all by Monday.
Because it’s a good book with fascinating world building and a nice blend of modern Seoul and traditional folktales.
I really liked it, I just didn’t quite love it.
But I will be buying the sequel. ;)
There’s so much to love; cool mythology, interesting damaged characters, modern setting, romance, magic, family drama.
But the pacing and writing... is uneven. Some of the writing is absolutely brilliant - evocative even. But some of it is straight up purple prose. And it’s the same with the pacing.
And some of the plot twists are... well, not all that twisty.
But I burned through this book in two days which brings me to my next point.
If you love Kdramas (which I do) there is a very high chance you will like this. And I’m not saying that just because the setting is in Seoul. I’m saying it because the formula/structure is very similar to a lot of the dramas I’ve seen. Side characters suddenly turn out to be family relatives, the main couple are separated halfway through just as they’ve come to terms with their feelings due to secret being revealed/noble idiocy/misunderstanding. And finally the theme of forgiveness toward family members who ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DESERVE IT.
Gah.
But everything about this book lends itself so neatly to a Kdrama that if it were to be put on Netflix tomorrow I would 100% have binged it all by Monday.
Because it’s a good book with fascinating world building and a nice blend of modern Seoul and traditional folktales.
I really liked it, I just didn’t quite love it.
But I will be buying the sequel. ;)
g_whitt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Murder, and Death
k_lenn's review
2.0
Ehh, this was okay.
I didn't really find myself rooting for the characters or any relationships (including familial ones) and thought the two leads seemed better as friends. The plot could've been tighter too.
I loved learning about Korean folklore/legends and the creatures that appear in them, like gumiho and dokkaebi, though. That part was super interesting.
I didn't really find myself rooting for the characters or any relationships (including familial ones) and thought the two leads seemed better as friends. The plot could've been tighter too.
I loved learning about Korean folklore/legends and the creatures that appear in them, like gumiho and dokkaebi, though. That part was super interesting.
eireen's review against another edition
3.0
Buku ini sebenarnya cukup menarik. Banyak yang bisa dipelajari dari buku ini, salah satunya adalah mitologi korea yaitu rubah ekor sembilan (gumiho). Mungkin buat yang udah pernah nonton film drama korea tentang Gumiho, jadinya ngga asing lagi dengan info mengenai Gumiho. Tapi buat aku yang ngga nonton film Gumiho, jadinya malah belajar banyak dari buku ini. FYI, buku ini sama yang di film berbeda ya, ngga ada hubungannya. Cuma temanya aja yang sama.
Sayangnya walaupun temanya cukup menarik, terlalu banyak bumbu-bumbu yang biasa ada di korean drama. Seperti pembulian, sikap-sikap dan perlakuan crush yang bikin hati pembaca tergelitik, betrayal, it's a bit cliche I think. Terlalu banyak teenage dramanya. Entah udah berapa kali si kedua pemeran utama di buku ini berantem, musuhan, temenan lagi, musuhan, temenan lagi, musuhan, temenan lagi. Gitu aja terus sampai cape sendiri bacanya. Sampai sempat terbesit, ini karakter-karakter kenapa pada ababil banget ya? But they are teenagers, so yeah, okay..
Bagian terbaik dari buku ini kayaknya hanya sekitar 10% di akhir buku. Dari situ sudah mulai seru, ada actionnya juga, and it's surprisingly heartbreaking to read.
Aku pikir buku ini standalone, tapi ternyata akan ada sequelnya. Ya seenggaknya tidak ada cliffhanger di akhir buku ini jadi ngga merasa diharuskan untuk membaca buku selanjutnya. Aku sih bakal rekomen buku ini untuk para pembaca yang hobi nonton korean drama, kayaknya kalian bakal nyambung sama buku ini. :D
Sayangnya walaupun temanya cukup menarik, terlalu banyak bumbu-bumbu yang biasa ada di korean drama. Seperti pembulian, sikap-sikap dan perlakuan crush yang bikin hati pembaca tergelitik, betrayal, it's a bit cliche I think. Terlalu banyak teenage dramanya. Entah udah berapa kali si kedua pemeran utama di buku ini berantem, musuhan, temenan lagi, musuhan, temenan lagi, musuhan, temenan lagi. Gitu aja terus sampai cape sendiri bacanya. Sampai sempat terbesit, ini karakter-karakter kenapa pada ababil banget ya? But they are teenagers, so yeah, okay..
Bagian terbaik dari buku ini kayaknya hanya sekitar 10% di akhir buku. Dari situ sudah mulai seru, ada actionnya juga, and it's surprisingly heartbreaking to read.
Aku pikir buku ini standalone, tapi ternyata akan ada sequelnya. Ya seenggaknya tidak ada cliffhanger di akhir buku ini jadi ngga merasa diharuskan untuk membaca buku selanjutnya. Aku sih bakal rekomen buku ini untuk para pembaca yang hobi nonton korean drama, kayaknya kalian bakal nyambung sama buku ini. :D
rinnie_san's review
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0